Lore: Cyrodiil
Cyrodiil, also known as the Imperial Province, is a province in the south-central region of Tamriel, and the home of the humanoid race known as Imperials. The centre of their Empire, Cyrodiil is also known as the 'Heartland', and is the main setting for the game Oblivion. The capital of Cyrodiil and the entire Imperial Empire, the Imperial City, is located on an Island in the centre of the province. At the very centre of the city, lays the White Gold Tower, which is possibly the most renowned monument of Tamriel. History The early Aldmeri settlers who came to Tamriel established strongholds on the Summerset Isles and along the coasts of Tamriel, but they never ventured far inland. Only oral histories and the fragmented ballad of Topal the Pilot, an Aldmer adventurer and explorer, offer accounts of the ancient beast races that inhabited the land, but they are shadowy, mist drawn portraits of a time before reckoning. It was not until the coming of the Ayleid that Cyrodilic history truly began. As mentioned in "A Pocket Guide To The Empire", "The Ayleids were ancient Altmer, cousins of all the elven races that exist today. Over time, they became a distinct people, crafting a civilization whose ruins still puzzle and fascinate modern archaeologists and adventurers." This is hinted at by the dialogue in Oblivion where when on rumours one might say something similar to 'Ayleid ruins are thousands of years old, and have much treasure. The traps still work after so long, which is amazing. The ancient Nedic people, ancestors who were in Cyrodiil long before their modern-day counterparts, came in during the First Era. Spreading south from their presently primitive and arctic land of Skyrim, they became slaves of the Ayleids, once man-mer tensions in Skyrim reached its peak. One of the most important events of Cyrodilic history is the slave rebellion of 1E 242. The men and mer had been fighting in Skyrim for quite a while, however this revolt, led by Alessia, handed the entire region to the insurgent humans. "The heart of Tamriel was going to belong to these former slaves, present day Cyrodiilics or Imperials, forever more." Imperials are related from the Nords who eventualy settled in Cyrodiil. In an alliance with Skyrim, the Alessian Empire pushed far west towards High Rock, which, at the time, was under the control of the Direnni, a clan of Altmer aristocrats. Another opening was present at this time, as described in "A Pocket Guide to the Empire": "The prophet Marukh's teachings brought both identity to Cyrodiil, codifying the pantheon most civilized Tamriellians worship to this day, as well as conflict, due to the more severe strictures he espoused." Another big event in the history of Cyrodiil occurred in the year 1E 2703: the Akaviri invasion. This event not only affected Cyrodiil, but brought all of Tamriel together as one to fight the new threat of Akavir. The Akaviri forces were fought off, and the people of Tamriel subsequently became more cooperative with one another once they understood their values and boundaries. Under the new rule of Emperor Reman I, Cyrodiil became cosmopolitan, and incorporated architectural and geometrical aspects of High Rock, Colovian, Nibenese, and even Akaviri culture. This led to the diversity of Cyrodiil and the places certain races went based on their preferences. The Imperials preferred the inlands, which is why most could be found at the heart of Cyrodiil. On the other hand, races like the Argonians of Black Marsh and the Khajiit of Elsweyr stuck to themselves and went for more suitable places away from their human neighbors. Geography Cyrodiil is mostly an expanse of forest and mountains. Its heart, the Nibenay Valley, is a vast plain, enclosed by equatorial rain forests. Many rivers flow through this area, and as one ventures further down the rivers, the land slowly becomes more sub-tropical, eventually giving way to the swamps of the Black Marsh. The elevation rises gradually to the west and sharply to the north. The western part of the region is relatively dry. The Veloth Mountains (Valus Mountains, as the Imperials call them) to the east have some roads, but most travel in Cyrodiil is dominated by rivers. Cyrodiil is the most diverse province in terms of geography and climate. The Nibenay Valley is the most prominent area of the land, a great grassland with Lake Rumare in its heart. Several small islands dot the surface of this lake, and between them stand great bridges. It is on these islands that the Imperial City stands. The other cities of Cyrodiil are Anvil, Bravil, Bruma, Chorrol, Cheydinhal, Kvatch, Leywiin and Skingrad. Notes *The Development team for the Elder Scrolls Online declared that Cyrodiil wasnt ever a jungle, it was only thought that because of a transcription error. See Also *Featured in: **TES Arena **TES Oblivion References #Provences of Tamriel #Events of Elder Scrolls Online #Events of Oblivion #Commenteries on the Mysterium Xarces book 3 - Mankar Camoran #A Pocket Guide to the Empire 3rd Edition - Imperial Geographical Soiciety, 3E 432 #ElderScrolls '''Note: '''Some of the information gathered is not in the game The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion. Category:Lore Category:Places Category:Cyrodiil Category:Tamriel Category:Imperial